Panama Canal Gets Heavy Rain and Closes Down: The Canal Now Reopened

The Panama Canal got heavy rain that caused flooding on Wednesday. These heavy rains lead officials to shut the Panama Canal down.This is remarkably only the third time in 96 years that the canal has been closed down. The canal was only shut down for 17 hours, but that is still scary!

For those of you who aren’t aware of what the Panama Canal is, it is a ship canal in Panama that connects the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. It is a major canal for shipment and trade, which allows vessels to transfer goods on a much safer route than before. Prior to the Panama Canal, which was completed in 1914, ships would have to endure a grueling and very dangerous route through the Drake Passage and Cape Horn around South America. Most sailors know that the waters around Cape Horn are very treacherous and consist of giant waves and strong winds and currents. This explains the importance of the  Panama Canal.

According to CNN, officials closed the Panama Canal at around noon Wednesday due to heavy rain in the Chagres River. These heavy rains caused water behind the Gatun Dam to rise. The flooding must have subsided because the canal has now been reopened after only 17 hours.

 

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